After a tight opening 15 minutes in a rainy West Midlands, the game exploded into life in the 16th minute after Stanislas evaded three Stoke defenders and laid the ball off to Surman just outside of the box. He powered a superb strike into the bottom-left corner beyond Jack Butland to make it 1-0.

Two minutes later it got better for the Cherries as Ryan Shawcross committed a clumsy foul on Benik Afobe in the box, and Stanislas added his name to the scoresheet with a clinical strike from the penalty spot right down the middle of the goal.

It took until the 34th minute for City to muster a real opening as Jese Rodriguez picked up a loose pass from Stanislas, and fed in to Mame Biram Diouf on the right edge of box. The Senegal international’s strike forced Asmir Begovic into a superb diving save out for a corner.

However, soon after the Potters would have Butland to thank as he saved decisively from Afobe, after the forward was fed the ball in the box by the influential Stanislas – though his strike was gobbled up by the 24-year-old keeper.

Just before the break, Stoke were inches away from pulling a goal back as Maxim Choupo-Moting’s header from Erik Pieters’ accurate cross grazed the right-hand post of the goal. After the interval, Mark Hughes’ men came out with renewed energy and Joe Allen was denied by Begovic, from Diof’s accurate cross from the right.

The Potters got the goal their pressure deserved in the 63rd minute as Pieters’ cross into the box fell to Choupo-Moting, who steered it to Diouf to rifle home into the roof of the net.

Bournemouth were offering little threat in the second 45 minutes, though Stoke also struggled to create chances after their goal, as it ended 2-1 to the visitors.